Does God forgive big sin? Will God forgive things like murder?

from the old testament

• God created Adam and Eve without sin but with the ability to choose to obey or disobey Him. They sinned when they disobeyed God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, showing their rebellion against God. All who came after them were born with a sin nature (Genesis 3).
• All sin– big and small– separates us from God. Isaiah 59:2 says, "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."
• Psalm 103:10-12 demonstrates God's willingness to forgive all sins, no matter how great, and to remove them far from us.
• God forgave King David, a man who intentionally placed the husband of Bathsheba on the front lines for him to be killed so he could cover up his adultery (2 Samuel 12:13). There were still consequences for David's actions, but his sin was forgiven. God's forgiveness is not limited by the size of the sin. He can forgive sins, whether we view them as large or small, when we ask for forgiveness and place our trust in Him.

from the new testament

• Romans 3:23 tells us that every person has sinned and falls short of the glory of God.
• Romans 6:23 indicates that without salvation through Christ, the consequence for every sin– big or small– is death.
• Ephesians 2:1-3 explains that not only are we sinners by nature, but we are also sinners by choice, meaning we act on our sin nature. Ephesians 2:3 describes it as living “in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind." However, “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” All who trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins are no longer children of wrath and dead in our sin but are made alive and saved by grace.
• Jesus made the way for all our sins to be forgiven if we trust in His death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. First John 2:2 teaches, "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." Christ's death and resurrection are powerful enough to forgive any sin of any person.
• John 3:16 is clear, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." God can save any person and forgive anyone who believes in Him.
• The Bible is filled with examples of God's forgiveness regarding sins people often think are too big to be forgiven. For example, Saul persecuted the early church, arrested Christians, and even approved of the murder of Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 8:1). Yet God forgave his sins. This man later became known as Paul and wrote nearly half the books of the New Testament.
• The criminal crucified next to Jesus on the cross is another important example. He was being put to death for his crimes, yet recognized Jesus and asked Him to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus answered, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).
• Mary Magdalene, one of the early followers of Jesus and one of the women who first saw the risen Christ, was a woman who had been possessed by seven spirits (Luke 8:2).
• Some of those Peter preached to who became Christians were also those who were involved in the crucifixion of Jesus (Acts 2:36).
• Peter, a leader among the early followers of Jesus, denied knowing Him three times on the night Jesus was arrested. Yet Jesus soon reaffirmed His love for Peter and challenged Him to serve in "feeding His sheep" (John 21:15-19). Despite every disciple abandoning Jesus on the night He was arrested, God continued to use His followers as those who led the early church (Acts 2).

implications for today

Forgiveness is not about the size of the sin, but the size of God's love. God’s love is vast and powerful enough to forgive anything when we come to Him with a repentant heart. Take David, for example: despite his grievous sins of adultery and murder, God forgave him when he confessed and repented (2 Samuel 12:13). The same is true for us today—whether our sins seem large or small, they all separate us from God, but through Jesus, we are offered forgiveness. Practically, this means that even in moments where we feel our actions are too unforgivable, we can trust in God's ability to forgive us if we seek Him sincerely. A person struggling with guilt for past mistakes, like lying or even more severe actions, can find peace in the truth that God offers forgiveness through Christ. Forgiveness doesn't erase the consequences of our actions, but it restores our relationship with God, freeing us from the guilt and shame that sin brings. God’s grace is available to all who believe in Jesus, no matter the magnitude of the sin.